If you or a loved one plans on immigrating to the United States, there are a lot of hoops that you need to jump through. One of them is passing a background check, which is known as a USCIS background check. This background check can be intense and comprehensive, so it’s important to know how far back they go, what shows up on them, and much more.
So, how far back does USCIS background check go? Read this guide to learn everything you need to know about USCIS background checks and how far back they go.
What Is USCIS?
If you may have to go through a USCIS background check, it helps to know what USCIS stands for and what it is. In short, USCIS refers to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This is a government agency that handles lawful immigration into the United States.
Aside from overseeing immigration, the organization is also responsible for setting policies for immigration. Typically, the organization issues someone a number, and that number is used to track the status of someone’s immigration case.
In order to ensure that there are no issues with immigrants, the USCIS requires immigrants to go through an extensive background check process. Citizenship tests and other requirements must also be met for someone to enter the United States and become a citizen.
What Is a USCIS Background Check?
A USCIS background check is a background check that immigrants have to go through before they can successfully become a United States citizen. While there are many requirements to become a US citizen, passing this background check is among the most important. Like most background checks, you’ll find that USCIS background checks do a deep dive into someone’s life.
USCIS background checks are usually done early in the process, and sometimes special accommodations can be made. Changes may also apply. For example, USCIS background checks used to waive fingerprinting for people over the age of 75 due to difficulties with processing fingerprints.
However, as technology has improved, this is no longer the case.
What Shows Up on a USCIS Background Check?
On a USCIS background check, a lot of information is available. Ultimately, anything that’s a public record will become available. This is because the USCIS runs an FBI name check and other security checks with other agencies. The purpose of this information is to determine whether or not someone is a good candidate for citizenship in the United States.
Typically, the following information is revealed during a USCIS background check:
- Criminal records
- Identity verification
- Location information
- Vital records
- Online activity
- Social media accounts
- Information about parents and children
It’s also important to note that USCIS background checks also require fingerprinting.
How Far Back Does USCIS Background Check Go?
Typically, a USCIS background check is thorough and verifies a lot of your information, and in some cases, they may go back as far as they need to.
That said, you’ll find that most USCIS background checks go back around five years. What’s more, this five-year look-back period usually begins when you fill out the application.
How Far Back Does a USCIS Background Check Go for Marriage?
USCIS background checks vary based on your reason for immigration. While general USCIS background checks go back around five years, you’ll find that this isn’t the same for marriage cases.
In fact, marriage cases tend to only go back around three years. Of course, there are some exceptions depending on your unique situation.
How to Prepare for a USCIS Background Check
Becoming a US citizen is not easy, and the background check process is rigorous. You’ll find that even minor discrepancies can cause issues and delays, so preparation is key. Luckily, you don’t need to work with any expensive companies or comb through records yourself.
Instead, you can rely on a simple tool like Information.com. It is a public records search, and you can enter your information into its background check tool to find all available public records associated with you. If something is there that shouldn’t be, you can then take action to have the issue resolved. It can also help you be more honest during the process, which can also prevent problems.
How Far Back Does USCIS Background Check Go? Our Final Thoughts
So, how far back does USCIS background check go? Ultimately, you should expect the background check portion to go back around five years from when you fill out and submit the application. Unless you’re applying for marriage, this is usually what you can expect. Now, if you have a criminal record, those records may always be available.